Hi, friends! I hope you had the very best start to 2016. I missed watching fireworks on my beloved Kiawah beach as 2015 ended and 2016 began, but watching cannons shoot confetti into the air while working a wedding surely takes a solid FUN second place.

This year already feels like it’s going to be better than last (I reread a Facebook post from early last year when I fell off of my bike on vacation. Evidently that was, in fact, an omen for the year!), and I’m so happy to revert to my old ways again. By “old ways”, I mean focusing on business AND personal goals not just one or the other.

Last year I chose two words of the year, and this year I’m just choosing one. I really like it. It’s NO.

I have an intense habit of saying yes to EVERYTHING. I love helping other people, and I never want to let anyone down though I’m very certain I do in the process. I also love experiencing anything and everything. However, in saying yes to just about everything last year, I ended up being so overwhelmed multiple times. That kind of overwhelmed only caused me to feel burnt out and searching for white space in order to regain a sense of balance. But, this year is going to be different.

Lara Casey always says there is nothing special about January 1, but I do feel the very first day of the year offers a fresh start. For that reason, it’s one of my very favorites! This year, I’m planning to seriously run again, travel as much as possible, and have monthly goals. My overarching goal for this year is to keep my work-life balance in check by saying no in order to be much more intentional when I do say yes. Here’s to making things happen in 2016!

Without further ado, my January goals (some are fun, and some are just plain boring – you’ve been warned :)…

Go Skiing: This is very dependent on my favorite ski resort opening its slopes for the season. As long as that happens, I’ll be there!

Buy an Office Chair: I spend so much time at my computer, and I’ve officially realized that I loathe my office chair. So, I’m moving on to something I think will work well! I’m thinking about purchasing this one. The girls at Southern Weddings seem to love it, and I will most definitely be monogramming mine too.

Sign Up for a 10K: I’ve never run a 10K before, but I think it’s a solid goal to have for this year. I’ve started my research, and there are a few contenders. I would actually love to run this race, but it’s my Poppy’s 95th birthday. I’ll celebrate with him instead because he’s cute and sweet.

Rejoin LA Fitness: I’m not a New Year’s Resolution-er when it comes to joining a gym, but I’m finally accepting the fact that I just cannot run outside. It’s too cold, and I’m not a fan of running in the dark. So, joining a gym again it is!

Schedule a Hair Cut: This is the most unexciting goal around, but I avoid cutting my hair. I love my stylist, but cutting an inch or two means cutting 4-6 inches off every time. Curly hair always ends up shorter because of the curls, and I love being able to braid my hair and put it into a bun easily. The struggle is very, very real, but this needs to happen.

Book a February Trip: Traveling is my very favorite thing to do, and I want to go on at least 12 trips in 12 months. Some of them will be longer than others, but weekend trips are very doable just to escape to a different place for a few days. I have ideas about where I would like to go next month, so I just need to make my final decision!

Travel to Florida: This is a work trip for Every Last Detail, but I’m counting down the days until I’m on the plane. Hello, wedding professionals and warmer weather!

Read “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”: I never finished reading the Harry Potter series, and I started again with book one a few weeks ago. It’s so fun to revisit books that I read years ago, and I’m looking forward to completing the series. I’m also just so happy to be reading again. The slow season for weddings brings me a lot of joy and relaxation!!

What are your goals for January? I’d love to take a peek if you have a blog or just write down a few in the comments!

A year and a half ago I signed up for a half marathon because I decided I wanted to become a runner. I’ve played tennis for most of my life, and I’ve always loved exercising. I thought the training road would be difficult, but it wasn’t anything like I expected it would be. Doesn’t that always happen?

I signed up for a 5K before I had finished all of the weeks on my Couch 2 5K app on my phone, and I pushed myself to the finish line…in the middle of the July heat. I ran a second 5K last November, but at that point things had gotten really real. My goal was never to run the entire half marathon (it still isn’t), but running 3.1 miles was a bit of a struggle.

I was frustrated that my body was not happy about my new found running hobby. I struggled with cramping, couldn’t determine a speed that I could withstand for long periods of time, and became generally frustrated that I couldn’t run with ease.

So with a frustrated heart, I deferred my race. I had a year to make something happen.

I didn’t run as consistently in the winter. I decided it was a great idea to fall on my back and horribly injure my hand while skiing, which caused me to have to sit on the sidelines for over a month while it healed. Then I went to Making Things Happen, and I vowed to myself to cross the finish line of my half marathon. It was going to happen, and I started to build running and working out into my schedule without excuses.

In the middle of my you-can-absolutely-train-and-run-this-thing moment, I met with a trainer. I hated every second I spent with her because she informed me that I would never be strong enough if I just ran and followed the steps on my app. She told me I needed to radically change my eating habits, and then she informed me that I had weight to lose. That was my lowest point because for a few days I believed everything she said. But NONE of it was true, especially the part about losing weight. Now I was on a mission to prove her wrong and run.

I’ve become so much stronger since March, but as my marathon date has crept up on me I’ve been wondering if I’m ready to run/walk 13.1 miles. It’s a LONG time. And I’ve panicked about it. I’ve asked myself the same question over and over again: “Are you ready?” But the better question when facing a huge fear and possibly meeting a huge goal is, “Will you ever be fully READY?” We’re talking about the kind of ready where you want to shout it from the roof tops because you’re just so confident. The kind where you feel like you can just burst through the door and yell, “Let’s DO this thing!”

The answer is likely no. But I’ve realized I’m much stronger than I think I am. I’ve run miles upon miles, followed two apps, and learned that I really enjoy running. Plus, I’m on a mission to prove a trainer wrong. I’ve realized that I’m ready enough.

I’m running and walking 13.1 miles on Saturday morning starting at 8 a.m. I’m ready enough, and I’m going to play one awesome playlist and run for my Nana. I’ll be damned if I don’t cross that finish line. And then eat chocolate.